Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part IV, Appendix to diplomatic correspondence of 1865; the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, late president of the United States of America, and the attempted assassination of William H. Seward, Secretary of State, and Frederick W. Seward, Assistant Secretary, on the evening of the 14th of April, 1865; expressions of condolence and sympathy inspired by these events

Mr. Riotte to Mr. Hunter.

[Extract.]

Legation of the United States,
San José, June 4, 1865.

No. 125.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of despatches Nos. 102 and 103, and enclose copy of a note addressed to this government, and a copy and translation of the reply thereto; also a copy of the circular note directed by me to the diplomatic and consular representatives of foreign nations, calling upon them to join in the celebration of the day set aside by the President as a day of mourning in memory of our lamented late President.

On that mournful day I was made the recipient of a number of letters of condolence and of visits from many distinguished citizens and the chargés of Peru and Spain. Without one single exception all flags in this capital were at half-mast, some draped in crape. The legation and its flagstaff I had draped in black and white, while long black streamers hung down from the flag.

Most Americans wore black, and two of them volunteered to put up the drapery on the legation.

* * * * * *

I have the honor, sir, to be your obedient servant,

C. N. RIOTTE.

Hon. William Hunter,
Acting Secretary of State.